Kalata
Out of the Silent Planet
I like both choruses. Rain's one could have been more interesting lyrically, but it works great. I'm sure the rest of the songs will be at least catchy, like these two.
Something about the new single:
Bruce: ''I had the chorus lyric since 2012, and it wasn’t difficult years later to create the rest of the song with so much rich imagery in my head!''
Riding on a towering guitar riff, with dramatic keyboards and a commanding vocal performance. It is a classic Dickinson/Roy Z collaboration; a catchy but heavy piece – full of melody but stripping out the spoken vocals of the verses in almost poetic fashion – maybe a further ode to the great wordsmith who inspired the title.
Classic Dickinson/Z composition? This is exaggerated.
Bruce's new single 'Rain On The Graves' is out now
‘Rain On The Graves’ is the second single to be taken from Bruce Dickinson’s forthcoming solo album The Mandrake Project which will be released on March 1st, via...
www.ironmaiden.com
At least there's some kind of cover, albeit a hastily made one. TFP costume fits it oddly enough.
Tygerrr
Prowler
btw, here's the original trailer for ROTG video… you cannot find it by yourself on his official YT channel because it's not published as "public"
here's full playlist with all the official videos for TMP
here's full playlist with all the official videos for TMP
TheMercenary
Ancient Mariner
I think that this new album won't be one of my favourite records from Bruce Dickinson, even though I appreciated the second single better than the first one. 'The Mandrake Project' won't be another 'Accident Of Birth', 'The Chemical Wedding' or 'Tyranny Of Souls' and it's a pity.
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redandtheblack92
Came to witness the death of the Celts
Experiment on Face in the Mirror too with Bruce playing solo.
redandtheblack92
Came to witness the death of the Celts
Yep and that would also mean that Tyranny is the heaviest Bruce album to date. I really love the fast riff and shredding solos on that album. The album had a solid Sci-fi (Doom 3, Halo types) vibe to it. Just love that album a lot.
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Tygerrr
Prowler
never ever?… strange… because they were labelled "heavy metal" everywhere all the time… but maybe especially in the USA… that doesnt mean they are really "heavy metal"…
Attachments
GhostofCain
Ancient Mariner
I think that if it was raining that much, he could have sung ‘There’s heavy rain on the graves’ to avoid the endless repetition.
Randalf
Ancient Mariner
I like it.
Not mind-blowing, but I like it. The video was cheesy, but mostly in a sympathetic way. Very much in the vein of The Tower and Killing Floor videos, so I think it was honestly pretty alright, as far as music videos in general go.
When the third verse begun I couldn't help but smile:
I am the God of sinners
You are what I have made...
Bruce's style of singing it, the lyrics and their pacing & phrasing with that just screams "BRUCE DICKINSON!!!" in a good way. I love it.
Withered hands, withered bodies
Begging for salvation
Deserted by the hand of gods
Of their own creation
I am the God of sinners
You are what I have made...
Some innocent pawn in an endgame
one more stalemate
Vision of a new world,
from the ashes of the old
I see your past and future
All the same and it cannot be bought
+ @redandtheblack92
The demon in your mind will rape you in your bed at night
The wisdom of ages, the lies and outrages concealed
etc.
Not mind-blowing, but I like it. The video was cheesy, but mostly in a sympathetic way. Very much in the vein of The Tower and Killing Floor videos, so I think it was honestly pretty alright, as far as music videos in general go.
When the third verse begun I couldn't help but smile:
I am the God of sinners
You are what I have made...
Bruce's style of singing it, the lyrics and their pacing & phrasing with that just screams "BRUCE DICKINSON!!!" in a good way. I love it.
Withered hands, withered bodies
Begging for salvation
Deserted by the hand of gods
Of their own creation
I am the God of sinners
You are what I have made...
Some innocent pawn in an endgame
one more stalemate
Vision of a new world,
from the ashes of the old
I see your past and future
All the same and it cannot be bought
+ @redandtheblack92
The demon in your mind will rape you in your bed at night
The wisdom of ages, the lies and outrages concealed
etc.
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redandtheblack92
Came to witness the death of the Celts
Ohh don’t forget the classiest of them all and my personal favorite “The demons in your mind will rape you in your bed at night”. This gives me the chills every time I hear it.I like it.
Not mind-blowing, but I like it. The video was cheesy, but mostly in a sympathetic way. Very much in the vein of The Tower and Killing Floor videos, so I think it was honestly pretty alright, as far as music videos in general go.
When the third verse begun I couldn't help but smile:
I am the God of sinners
You are what I have made...
Bruce's style of singing it, the lyrics and their pacing & phrasing with that just screams "BRUCE DICKINSON!!!" in a good way. I love it.
Azas
Powermind
After a few listens I can accept/appreciate this song. Some positive thoughts: overall, I like guitar sound; keyboards/organs fits this song, enhances it's impact; Roy's solo is very good, reminds me of TCW era. I like theatrics of it all. I like the video.
Negative: chorus part It's just rain, rain, rain to me seems melodically not fitting/not fully fleshed out. This song been in the making for many years... and I don't like it's ending. Fade-out type songs - no matter what band - to me always reeks laziness and unfinishedness even if song is great.
Overall 7.5/10
...and yeah that chugging guitar rhythm part is straight out from The Green Manalishi.
Negative: chorus part It's just rain, rain, rain to me seems melodically not fitting/not fully fleshed out. This song been in the making for many years... and I don't like it's ending. Fade-out type songs - no matter what band - to me always reeks laziness and unfinishedness even if song is great.
Overall 7.5/10
...and yeah that chugging guitar rhythm part is straight out from The Green Manalishi.
Diesel 11
As you scream into the web of silence...
I’m also thinking long term here. If Maiden comes to an end and Bruce starts releasing albums with songs like this every few years, would I be happy? Yeah. He’s got nothing left to prove so he dabbles in whatever ideas he may have, and I’m digging it so far. Not on a TCW level maybe but we’re in a different era for solo Bruce anyway.
Kalata
Out of the Silent Planet
“I had a couple of solos mapped out, but for the most part I just go for it... I think that you lose all the soul if you think about it too much”: Roy Z on keeping things simple and song-serving with Bruce Dickinson and Rob Halford's solo bands
Having served as the guitarist and producer for the solo bands of not one, but two, metal giants, Roy Z says that the secret is to focus on what the music needs, and not overthink
Short interview with Roy. Mostly about his studio work and recording gear for TMP.
It seems that unfortunately he had some problems during the recordings.
His favorite riffs on the album are: Afterglow Of Ragnarok and Resurrection Men.
-> ''But this wasn’t a huge riff album; it’s more about the tunes''.
How they individually go about their creative processes are different. That said, Bruce and Rob are both working-class people, meaning they’re hardworking. And they’re both gifted and have been the top guys for so long. It’s amazing to watch what they do and how they uniquely utilize their similar talents.
I’m a producer too, and putting that hat on forces me to really think about the song. So when I switch back to being just a guitarist, it’s about what’s necessary for the song.
I find myself just going for my identity versus trying to sound like I’m trying to keep up with trends. So that’s my focus – to keep allowing that to happen, letting it come to me, and using that as a base to do what I do from there.
I have a lot of different influences, ranging from blues to hard rock, heavy metal and Latin stuff. That allows me to play whatever Bruce needs for a particular song; it’s not like I have to learn something new. I’ll pull from my repertoire and say, ‘Oh, it would be cool to try something like that.’ It’s a mishmash of everything I’ve studied and like to jam along with.
I come in with an old-school approach where I start with a song and keep my focus there – I try to do whatever is needed for the artist to make their vision happen.
It’s hard to pick one, but I’d say Afterglow of Ragnarok was pretty cool. I’m thrilled with that riff because it’s memorable. Another is Resurrection Men, which has a beefy middle section that sounds pretty sinister.
I’ve got an old EVH 5150 from back in the day that I always use with Bruce, and I’m using mostly Gibson guitars and a lot of my homemade pedals. It’s an array of random stuff – different pedals, amps and even guitars. I don’t go into anything fixated on a specific thing.
I’m a producer too, and putting that hat on forces me to really think about the song. So when I switch back to being just a guitarist, it’s about what’s necessary for the song.
I find myself just going for my identity versus trying to sound like I’m trying to keep up with trends. So that’s my focus – to keep allowing that to happen, letting it come to me, and using that as a base to do what I do from there.
I have a lot of different influences, ranging from blues to hard rock, heavy metal and Latin stuff. That allows me to play whatever Bruce needs for a particular song; it’s not like I have to learn something new. I’ll pull from my repertoire and say, ‘Oh, it would be cool to try something like that.’ It’s a mishmash of everything I’ve studied and like to jam along with.
I come in with an old-school approach where I start with a song and keep my focus there – I try to do whatever is needed for the artist to make their vision happen.
It’s hard to pick one, but I’d say Afterglow of Ragnarok was pretty cool. I’m thrilled with that riff because it’s memorable. Another is Resurrection Men, which has a beefy middle section that sounds pretty sinister.
I’ve got an old EVH 5150 from back in the day that I always use with Bruce, and I’m using mostly Gibson guitars and a lot of my homemade pedals. It’s an array of random stuff – different pedals, amps and even guitars. I don’t go into anything fixated on a specific thing.
''I go to different spaces in my head and heart and come up with riffs. It’s the same with solos – I try to play whatever is appropriate for the song’s mood; capture the vibe. But I try to avoid being selfish and having too much self-indulgence. 90-plus percent of my playing is off the cuff. With this record, I did have a couple of solos mapped out, but for the most part I go for it. I don't overthink it – I have a theory that you'll lose all the soul if you think about it too much''.
^I understand him here... but longer solos (or (short) melodic interludes) in most cases are ''more'' memorable. The (repetition of) Bruce's vocals will always be there and be a big part of a song.
TheMercenary
Ancient Mariner
'Tyranny Of Souls' is my favourite one too.
It has also a great Maiden vibe with the harmonies and stuff like that. 
efekåseo_suomi
Ancient Mariner
Circle of Stone > Afterglow of Ragnarok > Rain on the Graves
Tygerrr
Prowler
did you notice chance to win test pressings?
brucedickinson.tmstor.es
Official Bruce Dickinson Store
THE MANDRAKE PROJECT is out now and available here on SUPER DELUXE CD BOOKPACK, double heavyweight BLACK VINYL and TRI-PANEL DIGISLEEVE CD EDITION - with new merch and bundles available alongside catalogue titles.
brucedickinson.tmstor.es
